Midweek Mashup – Arsenal, 2012

In 2008-09, for instance, there were yellow shorts and navy socks produced for their away strip, but they were never used as no clashes arose.

Unfortunately, in 2012-13, their black and purple change kit didn’t have back-up elements and when they went to Old Trafford to face Manchester United, different socks were required.

The compromise was that they took to the field in the spare set for the home kit, red with white and navy trim. The shirts did have a tiny bit of red trim at the bottom the sleeves and the navy could perhaps have been mistaken for black, but it was still a very jarring look.

Robin van Persie, playing his first game against Arsenal since leaving the Emirates in the summer, opened the scoring with an early goal and the Manchester United lead was doubled as Patrice Evra scored midway through the second half.

While Santi Cazorla did pull a goal back for Arsenal late on, it was never a game from which they looked like getting anything. And, dressed as they were, they deserve to.